


Pathos

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s04e05 Debate Camp, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-04-26
Updated: 2003-04-26
Packaged: 2019-05-31 06:12:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15113465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: 'It's funny all the things Toby and I have in common that I never realized on the campaign trail.'





	Pathos

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Pathos**  
**by:** Kasey

**Character(s):** Samfic, Sam/Toby brotherly thing, references to Sam/Lisa and Toby/Andi  
**Category(s):** POST-EP: Debate Camp  
**Rating:** TEEN  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own them, please don't sue.  
**Summary:** "It's funny all the things Toby and I have in common that I never realized on the campaign trail."  


I feel bad for the guy. 

He has yet to stop brooding over the fact that his marriage is breaking up - and with good reason, y'know, I mean it's fine for him to be brooding. 

But even so, there's a little...definitely sympathy, and more than a little empathy, I gotta say. 

I mean hell, that was me two months ago. I sat in my office in the transition complex and stared out the window for...I dunno, musta been like a week or two. 

Because what the hell else do you do when your world is crashing down around you? I mean...what else can you do but sit there and stare and brood and wonder what the hell happened, where you went wrong... 

I still haven't figured it out. Brooding for two months and I still don't have a clue. How was I to know that when she said "I want you to be happy" what she *meant* was "I want you to be happy with what *I'm* doing so I can keep doing that and meanwhile you should just try not to get in the way of what I wanna do." 

That's the thing they don't tell ya about relationships. Probably because if they did, no one would want them. 

Except...yes we would. Of course we would. Because without some relationship, without human contact, life is meaningless. We ourselves are meaningless. We have no identity without being defined by relationships of all kinds so... yes we would. 

It's funny all the things Toby and I have in common that I never realized on the campaign trail. All those long SUV rides and plane trips and...the times we ended up sharing a room on the campaign trail and I had no idea he was... 

I didn't realize he wanted a family. He always seemed to me so much of the go-it-alone kind of guy that I was surprised to know he had a *wife* let alone ...he wants kids? 

But God, that'd be great. Talk about giving your life meaning, right? 

Or so I've heard. From my sister. And my parents. And my buddies from college who are settling down with wives and kids in the suburbs. 

Okay, I'm just gonna go...meditate on the fact that my life has neither significance nor meaning and sorta...get depressed and cry awhile. 

Y'know, I'm starting to think brooding's better and better. 


End file.
